Forbidden
by reginassthief
Summary: Boarding school! Au After her relationship with Daniel is discovered, Regina is sent off to a boarding school.
1. Chapter 1

The sound of a slap fills the room. A sting spread across Regina's cheek as she tries not to flinch from the pain.

''You naïve little girl.''

Mother fumes in front of her and there is nothing Regina can do to stop her. She curses herself, tells herself that she is stupid and naïve if she thought she could get away with this.

Two years her relationship with Daniel lasted for. Since that summer day when Rwgina sought solace from her mother's methods and words in the stables and she didn't know anyone else was in there. He appeared behind a stack of hey.

''Are you okay?''

At the sudden sound of a voice, Regina quickly wiped her tears away.

''I'm fine.'' She dismissed. She turned her face away and began fidgeting with the straw she was sitting on until Mother's words fluttered through her mind.

''Don't fidget, Regina. It makes you look nervous.''

Daniel came nearer and she stopped play with the hey. ''I know that's not true.''

His words made her angry. Most servants never asked about her feelings, they saw her as cardboard trained to answer simple questions, none of this 'are you okay' stuff. So why was he so different?

''And I know it's not your place to say.''

The light died in his eyes and it made Regina feel guilty. She broke eye contact with him and looked towards the grey wall.

His attitude changed as he mumbled ''I was only asking. I just know a sad pretty girl when I see one.''

Regina breathed out heavily wondering if she should tell him. Of course, she shouldn't wonder at all, the answer is no. She can't bitch about her mother to a stable boy.

She heard him walking away and she didn't want him to. If he does, she'll be lonely again, left brooding in her self pity. So she called him back with the first words in her mind.

''It's just my mother.''

He stopped and looked at her. Frowning, he asked ''What about her?'' and from there on she didn't stop, she didn't stop for two years.

They were usually careful. Sneaking around in the middle of the night when Mother wasn't home. Keeping to the shadows in case anyone was watching them. But tonight, their recklessness got the better of them- of her- and they were both paying the price for it. Mother hadn't gone anywhere at all in the past week and the lack of contact from a decent human being was getting to Regina's head. So when she was sure, so sure, that everyone was asleep, they agreed to meet.

Regina tried to enjoy his company, on any other night she could have, but tonight she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Daniel told her that it was nothing, it was just her being nervous about something, but her feelings were confirmed when she walked back inside to see her mother sitting there, waiting for her.

''How long did you really think you could get away with it?''

Regina doesn't answer. Despite asking a question Mother doesn't want her opinion.

A disbelieving smile forms across Cora's face. ''And out of everyone you could have this 'secret relationship' with you choose a stable boy.''

Regina tries not to fidget as she bites the inside of her cheek. All her fears are happening now. The ones that entered her head the first couple of days their relationship began. What would happen if Mother found out? What would she do?

They're unter rioted when the door opens and Louis, one of the head servants and the only one Mother seems to tolerate the most walks in.

''We have the stable boy. 'E tried to run but we catched 'im. What wood you like me to do with 'im?''

It doesn't take long for Mother to decide. ''Put him down stairs with the others.''

The tall and lanky man nods then slumps out of the door, ducking slightly to get through the door.

Regina has never been 'downstairs' she just knows it's where Mother puts the servants she tires of or wrong her in some way. There are nights though, if Regina can't sleep she can hear the groans, the shake of shackles, the cries for help. When she finally falls asleep, she dreams of it. A small, dark room hidden beneath the workings of the mansion. The smell of piss and shit and rotting bodies. Locked behind cages to small, their dead eyes standing out against their follow faces. And right at the end is Daniel. Hanging by his arms from shackles in the ceiling. The dreams are enough for Regina to call off their relationship but when the time comes to actually tell him she can't bring herself to do it. Days are brighter around him and that's enough to cope with the dark nights. They are only dreams after all.

Or so she thought. So all she feels now is guilt. Why did she have to be so selfish? Why couldn't she have just let him go? He has to suffer now because of her.

''Once again I'm cleaning up another one of your mistakes. What do I tell-'' Mother stops as an idea appears on her face and Regina waits, anxiety forming in her stomach. ''We'll tell them he forced himself on you.''

Regina frowns, confusion forms as she tries to make sense of her mother's words. ''What? No! Why do we have to tell anyone that?''

''Because I can't very well tell them that my daughter refuses their sons yet will gladly go off with a stable boy.''

Regina looks down at her feet. Since she was twelve Mother's favourite word was 'marriage'. At first Regina couldn't wait for it, the idea of marrying her very own Prince Charming. But that hadn't been the case. When she began meeting them, Prince Charming was Prince Vain. For hours she listened to monologues of why they were so great and that was enough to put her off them. Then she met Daniel and from their first meeting he asked her how she was and from there Regina knew he was different from the stuck up twats she knew.

''Besides judging how friendly he was being with you tonight, it wouldn't surprise me if he actually has and you're too naïve to realise it.''

Anger burns in her chest. ''He wasn't like that.''

Mother's face softens as her voice turns sickly sweet. ''Oh, Regina.'' Her hand strokes Regina's cheek. ''It's all a teenage boy wants when he's confronted with a pretty girl.'' Regina fights the urge to push her mother's hand away.

That wasn't Daniel. He was impatient about other things but never that. He would have gladly waited a lifetime for that.

Mother brings her hand away. Walking towards the door, she says ''You can go. I'll sort out you're punishment tomorrow.''

She leaves Regina standing in the drawing room. Whatever pushing want Mother comes up with will be nothing compared to Daniel's suffering.


	2. Chapter 2

She searches blindly for the light switch as the stench offends her nose. When she's upstairs, away from this insulting room, it's the perfect place to put the servants. But, on the rare chances she comes down for a visit, it's nothing but regret.

She doesn't change it, though. The satisfaction of them dying undignifingly in their own shit is too self rewarding.

Her hand finally finds the string. Pulling on it, the room is bathed in a sea of dark yellow light. It's dim but a much better improvement from darkness.

The servants recoil, shading their eyes from the light, too many days spent in the dark.

They cower away in their prisons that are too small as Cora makes her way across the straw covered floor. She stops at the end, in front of a small box room. There's nothing in there except a giant 'X'- an X she places those servants new to down here. Louis appears behind her, she can feel his presence lingering about.

''Turn him around.'' she instructs hardly able too keep the excitement out of her voice.

Louis does as she says. With all the strength his pathetic self holds he turns in around, exacting groans from the person trapped in its clutches.

Cora smiles when she's face to face with the stable boy. Hanging from the X, his limbs tied to each corner. The brown hair he kept nest and tidy falls unkempt into his eyes. His mouth hantsvopen from thirst. Daniel's heavy lidded eyes slowly look up at her, the look of loss and despair written across them.

''Why?'' he croaks out, his voice barely audible.

Cora shrugs. ''You soiled something of mine.'' her voice deepens. ''So I soiled you.''

''Regi- Regina isn't a toy you can pick up and use when it- when it suits you.''

Cora laughs slightly. This boy really doesn't understand. ''But she is, silly boy.''

She sees the boy frown as he asks through gritted teeth, ''And what twisted thing have you done to her?''

It's Cora's turn to frown now. Why does he care what happens to Regina? It was that stupid bitch that put him in this position in the first place. Unless...

''You still love her, don't you?'' she asks, cocking her head to the side.

''I'll never stop.'' he says as clear as he can.

Cora scoffs. Pathetic, she thinks. ''You both will never learn, will you? Love is weakness. Perhaps this will teach you. Louis.''

The man nods and Cora steps back. Louis throws a sack over Daniel's head as he begins to fight with as much energy as he has left. She begins to back away when she sees Louis pull out a thin knife and placing it against his first finger. She's walking away completely by the time the flaying begins. Rattling shackles mixed in with agonising screams that echo off the walls.

As Cora makes her way towards the door she hopes Louis let's the boy's wounds crack and fester until he's screaming for it to be cut off. That'll definitely teach him, she thinks with a smile.

Silent tears fall down Regina's cheeks. The salty liquid lands in her mouth as her body rests against the wall next to the staircase leading to the basement. Numb with pain, she is stuck, unable to move, as she listens to Daniel's screams. Part of her wants to know what sadistic thing is happening, but the other is too scared to face the horror. She dreamt of it last night. Of Daniel's torture. Blood gushing from various places, missing body parts. She was down there. Mother made her watch it. Finally, when the torture was over with, Daniel looked up at her, blood dripping down his face, and in the coldest voice Regina had ever heard from him he said, ''This is all your fault.'' The dream was enough to wake her up and keep her awake for the rest of the night. His words repeating themselves in her head because it is her fault. He fell in love with her.

Her paralysis is undone when she heard footsteps climbing the stairs. She quickly pushes herself from the floor, wiping any trace of tears from her face- Mother hates tears, doesn't see the point in them- and walks away from the stairs.

''Regina.''

Regina cringes at the sound of her mother calling her. She turns around, hoping the redness in her face has calmed down.

There's a silence between them for a moment, however, it's broken by a scream from Daniel. A new surge of pain ripples through Regina as once again she's fighting back tears. Mother just glares at the stairs.

''I hope he shuts up soon. We have a guest coming.''

The shock of her words stop Regina from feeling anything. Before she can ponder it, though, Mother's carrying on.

''I want you there.'' she orders. ''This is for your benefit.'' Cora walks away, probably to start preparing for this 'visitor'.

Quiet whimpers are all that can be heard as Louis appears at the top of the stairs. He sees Regina and gives her a smile but she's too distracted seeing the blood on his hands. Daniel's blood. Bile rises in her throat as water clouds her eyes. She runs up the stairs and slams her bedroom door, slams it against the screams and whimpers, against her mother's harsh words, and against the blood.

Collapsing onto the bed, everything takes over her. Guilt, pain, and loss are the only things she can feel as she breaks down.

Henry walks out into the hallway to see Cora put the phone down. Since this morning she's been on that device trying to find out who is the escort for the school.

And the school!

At first, Henry assumed it was something to do with her job. Perhaps another house had been put on sale. However, when he listened to the conversation more clearly and found the leaflets left on the side about a school in London called 'St Eva's School for Exceptional Young Ladies', he found out that the phone calls weren't concerning her job. He didn't say anything at first, thinking Cora had left the subject alone but seeing her put the phone down, he knew he had to speak about it.

''I thought we talked about sending Regina to finishing school.''

He heard her sigh before replying. ''Believe me, Henry, this is not a finishing school.''

''Then what is it?''

''A...place for girls to go to learn how to behave.''

Henry frowned. From his knowledge that is what a finishing school was. Cora had wanted to sent Regina to one, stating it would help her in the future. Henry had repeatedly argued against it and then subject had been dropped. Now Cora seemed to be bringing it up again.

''As I said, a finishing school.''

Cora pinches the bridge of her nose. ''No, Henry, it's not a finishing school, I just said that. It's a school for those troubled girls.''

Henry scoffs. ''Our daughter is not troubled.''

''She had an affair with a stable boy.'' Cora replies blankly.

This woman! He shook his head at his wife's dramatics. ''It was hardly an affair! She would have grown out of it.''

''Really? Because they looked as thought they were about to run off into the sunset together!''

Henry couldn't see why Cora didn't just let them. Let them be together. Let's their daughter live her own life. But that wasn't an option with Cora. It was her way or boarding school it seemed.

When Cora speaks again, there's a softness to her words. ''She needs to learn, Henry. And since I can't very well throw her down stairs and torture her, this is the only way.''

Cora leaves the room as Henry is left to realise how much he's failed his only child.


	3. Chapter 3

Next day update, aha. Anyway, I've actually uploaded this before I posted it on to Tumblr because that won't happen until half nine and I have to actually sleep tonight which would then mean it wouldn't be uploaded until Sunday or even later so I'm doing it now. I'm sorry not sorry for the beginning and to everyone who ships Regina + happiness but this was never a happy story. Comment/review what you think below and I hope you like it :)

It's the sunlight shining through the curtains that makes her stir. She doesn't want to wake, not yet. Regina likes sleep, means she can get away from the reality of the world for a few hours.

She turns to the side and is confronted with warm- warmth from a body. She snuggles into it, trying to go back to sleep despite her body wanting to wake up.

''You're not going back to sleep, Gina.''

She smiles as happiness fills her. And she is happy. For the first time in sixteen years she is truly happy with her life.

''I don't want to wake up.'' she mumbles, telling her brain to go back to sleep. ''I've got nothing to wake up for.''

And she doesn't. Nowhere to be for a certain time. No one to come knocking on the door because she's late. And most of all, no mother.

They succeeded in running away like they planned to. It wasn't out of the country like they hoped but it was, at least, away. They made it to Nottingham, not as far North as Regina liked but it was away from Ipswich. Away from Mother.

''Really? Nothing to get up for?'' she hears the hint in his voice and smirks. Abandoning sleep, she opens her eyes and peers up at Daniel who's smiling down at her.

''Well,'' she says, thinking about it. ''I guess I could make an exception for that.''

As soon as the words are said she's being flipped onto her back, Daniel on top of her, kissing her body. Regina losses herself in it, finally safe and happy.

When Regina wakes up, she's cold. Turning onto her side, she seeks warmth but finds only an empty freezing space beside her. It's enough to make her open her eyes, wandering where Daniel is.

Evening night projects across the room. She's lying on top of the covers, still dressed in the clothes she put on this morning, in her bed in Ipswich.

There's no morning sunlight, no skin sliding against skin, no Nottingham, and most of all, no Daniel.

Would her brain ne so cruel as to dream up something as sweet as that? Of course it would. It's all she's ever wanted.

Her heart aches from the loss of it. It hurts in fact, feels heavy as grief hangs off it, weighing it down.

Regina wants to cry but all her tears have spent. She wants to close her eyes and sleep the rest of the days away. But she can't. She can't because her mother has made a farce out of the whole situation that Regina has to attend to because 'a lady never misses her tea' or some shit like that.  
The knock on the door only confirms this. Regina slowly sits up, resting on her knees, a headache making itself loud and clear. Great, all she needs.

She catches herself in the mirror. Eyes puffy from crying, bits of mascara about her face, clothes askew, and hair a pile of mess on top of her head. She could definitely not go downstairs looking like this.

Judging by the knock on the door she has about half an hour to make herself presentable- she could manage it.

By the time the second knock came nobody would know that Regina had been both asleep and crying. After her fight with the bobble that had tangled itself in her long hair after all the tossing and turning she must if done, she brushed all the knots out and left it down. She'd washed her face until the red was gone. She only changed the top half of her clothes since she couldn't be bothered to go looking for something clean to put on the bottom, choosing a blue jumper. Mother would no doubt criticise it all but it would do.

Regina makes her way down the dining room where she can see the table has already been set out and her father sitting there. She walks past the staircase leading to downstairs, slowing her walking down. Nothing could be heard today- all the prisoners most likely having been told to keep quiet. Her thoughts go to Daniel but instantly come away- the dream is still fresh in her mind, the pain still there. Mother would never forgive her if she breaks down now.

Speeding up her movements, she walks into the dining room where her father greets her.

''Regina.''

Regina smiles, a fake one but one all the same. 'A smile is a powerful mask,' Mother had told her once. 'If you smile, no one will know what you're truly feeling.' It was the one lesson Mother taught her which she perfected.

''Daddy.'' she greet back and places herself on a chair.

She plays with her hands under the table as they sit in silence and wait. Daddy's reading the newspaper, the one he read this morning. Or maybe he didn't read all of it. Sometimes he begins to read it then halfway he'll get distracted or forget about it. It scares Regina sometimes, to know he's getting older, that he'll have no choice but to leave her. Apart from Daniel, her father was the only decent man she lived with. Everyone else was just pawns of her mother, they all hated Cora secretly which meant they hated Regina, too. Daniel should have hated her.

Regina sniffs as Daddy turns the page. Finally, Regina breaks the silence.

''Do you know who the guest is?''

Daddy looks up, he shifts uncomfortably as he places the paper down. Regina sees it in his eyes that he's looking for the answer to her question.  
''Perhaps it's one of your Mother's colleagues.''

'He's lying!' Her brain screams but she shuts it out. He's probably forgotten.

''Perhaps.'' she says giving a little reassuring smile.

Henry turns back to his paper. Regina let's her smile drop as anxiety ripples in her stomach.

The bell rings and the door is immediately answered. Louis' voice can be heard as he 'Welcome the guest into their lovely home'. Moments later, Mother is entering the dining room with a brunette trailing behind her looking around the house with hesitance and something tells Regina that the woman has never been in a mansion before.

''Henry, Regina; this is Belle French.''

''Hello.'' the girl says. Daddy nods and Regina smiles.

Mother, annoyed at their lack of greeting though skillfully hiding it in favour of pleasing this vision of theirs, motions for Belle to sit down as she pleasantly calls Louis to which loyal Louis comes running in.

''You may serve us tea now.''

Louis nods as Cora sits herself at the head of the table. They want in awkward silence for a moment until Belle breaks it.

''You, uh, live in a beautiful house.'' she says to Regina making Regina look up. ''You're so lucky to live here.''

''Yeah, definitely.'' Regina replies, not making eye contact. Belle's smiles drops as she takes note of Regina's lack of conversation. Regina, however, catches her mother's glare. Not wanting to face her wrath tonight, Regina sits straighter and coughs.

''I am. It's amazing. I'm absolutely lucky to live here.'' The words are lies. She'll be lucky when she gets to live somewhere else. Still, she looks to her mother and Cora nods her approval. Regina looks away. 'Well done. You've officially achieved lying. It only took you sixteen years.''

''Where did you live, Belle?'' Mother asks.

Regina rolls her eyes. Mother's way of getting to know whether a person is good enough to breathe the same air as her. And it all begins with knowing what type of house they lived in.

Belle responds awkwardly. ''Our house was fairly small. Two bedrooms. One for, uh, me and one for my father.''

Mother hums agreement while still smiling. Regina watches her closely trying to read her thoughts but Mother keeps them well guarded so Regina goes back to observing the scene.

''You said you and your father. Where is your mother?''

Belle swallows. ''She...died when I was younger. Some men broke into our house and held us hostage while my father was away. She tried to call him but they killed her before they got the chance.'' Regina notices that she seems withdrawn all of a sudden. Reliving the death of someone they loved, Regina can understand that.

''And what does your father do for a living?'' Cora asks.

If there was ever a time for inappropriateness that time was now. After somebody opens up to you about someone they loved dying, you offer them your condolences. But not Cora. She's more interested in how much money they made. Regina could kill her mother.

Well, she couldn't. If she could that would've happened by now.

Even Belle seems surprised at the lack of empathy from Cora as she replies ''He owned a flower shop.''

''I see.'' is all Cora says, disappointment laced within the sentence.

Regina sees Belle shy away with shame. Another person who is not immune to Mother's tone of words.

The awkwardness is broken when Louis enters with plates of food on a tray. It's a Sunday meaning it's roast dinner. Father has put his newspaper down now, he was completely zoned out of the conversation.

They eat their tea in complete silence. Not that that'd any different to any other days. In fact, this is the most they've ever conversed.

Halfway through, it's Mother who breaks the silence.

''So, Belle,'' the woman looks up. ''Tell me about this school.''

School? Regina stills her hand that's holding the folk as she listens to the conversation.

''It's amazing. The library has been refurbished. The dorms are cleaned every day. The teachers are wonderful.''

Why was Mother asking Belle this? If Belle works in a school, why was she here? She looks to her father who is also listening and guilt is written across his face. He did know who Mother invited.

''And the students?'' Mother asks.

''They're all...righted by the end.''

What was this school? Military camp?

''Good. Regina?''

Regina breaks away from her thoughts and looks up.

''Miss French is an escort to a boarding school in London. She's also the librarian there.''

The whole thing clicks.

''You're sending me away.'' Never did it occur to Regina that her mother would send her off to a boarding school. Mostly because of Mother's pride but another part of her believed Cora loved her enough to never throw her away. Just something else to add to her collection of made up fairytales.

''It's not sending you away, dear, it's giving you options.'' She turns to Belle then. ''My daughter always thinks the worst of things.'' Belle just smiles nervously in response.

Anger took over Regina as her mother belittles her. Gone is the mask as defiance shines through.

''I'm not going.'' she said.

Through smiles Mother said, ''Now don't be ridiculous, Regina.''

But Regina wasn't having it. ''You can't make me go!''

''Regina.'' The tone in Mother's voice turns dangerous. She should stop, eat her tea, don't show her mother up in front of a guest. Yet, Regina can't bring herself to care about that.

''Regina doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to.''

Answer silence forms as everyone looks at Belle. Regina give her her due, she was only trying to help her. Of course, her Mother wasn't having it.

''She doesn't know what she wants. Regina, you're going, there's no discussion.''

Shut up her brain screams. Face the fact that you have to go. But she can't. She doesn't belong in that school. Why can't her mother understand that?

''You're impossible to talk to.''

Unable to stay in the room any longer, she pushes her unfinished food away and leaves.

''Regina!''

But Regina doesn't answer. In her head she just repeats that she isn't going over and over. Perhaps that'll make it a reality.

The older woman's voice is like nails on a chalk board. She's been invited to many dinners in the past but none have been disastrous as this. Even the Fraughans make their family look happy and content compared to these.

Cora Mills didn't seem to think of her daughter in any situation. The woman didn't seem to think of anyone and the father hadn't helped.

Belle stands up. ''Perhaps I should go.''

Cora sighs. ''Yes. I'm sorry my daughter ruined your dinner.''

''It's fine.'' Belle says at the same time the woman says ''Louis will see you out.''

Belle nods as she looks to the husband, the look of resign on his face. It's clear who runs this house.

''Do you still want me to pick Regina up tomorrow?''

''Yes.'' says Cora who is also standing up. ''Regina is going with you even if she has to be dragged out by her hair.''

Belle awkwardly smiles. The girl should have a choice, what did she even do wrong to get sent to St Eva's anyway? It's not the type of school you willingly want to go to despite what Belle said to Cora before.

As she is led out by this Louis she sees the father shake his head. If he cared that much why didn't he say something before?

She walks over to her car, she gets the feeling someone's watching her. Looking up at the expense of the house, green vines twisting against white bricks and black pipes, she makes eye contact with Regina.

She wondered if she should let the worm stay in the snakes nest until her father's voice floats into her voice.

'You can't save everyone, Belle.'

''No, I can't.'' she says out loud. She turns away to climb into the car. With one last look at the house, she drives away. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! So chapter 4 which means after this there will be a designated time slot/day. And chances are it'll or probably be today (sunday) and perhaps another day. Anyway, this was planned to be longer and more things happen but then this would turn into something like 3000 words and...yeah, I have to write this out first. Anyway, I hope you like it :)**

Regina doesn't cry- she physically can't anymore. So she sits there, brooding on her bed. She should've known Mother would pull something like this! She does one thing wrong and her mother thinks she's a tearaway. Would she even fit in with these girls at this school? Regina imagines girls hardly dressed as they parade around the school talking about all the people they've slept with. And that wasn't Regina. She's too...pure.

Though, of course, in her mother's mind she wasn't 'pure' at all. 'He forced himself on you', the words make Regina angry now- that's all she seems to feel nowadays, pain and anger at everything and everyone- Mother really didn't understand a thing. If anything, it was the other way round.

Regina's biggest fear was that her happiness could be snatched away at any time, so she tried to make their relationship move quicker. Wanting to know intimacy and not just having the knowledge of being used which she knew would come. Actually wanting to know what it would feel like to be loved at that moment.

All those thoughts, doubts, worries, and fears seeped into her head but, as usual, it had been Daniel's practical words pulling her out of her negative thoughts.

''Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where are you going?''

Daniel's hand landed in her hair, halting her kisses that had ventured down her body as the time passed.

Regina looks up at him as much as she could from her position as bits of hair fall in front of her face. She looks into his eyes and sees the regret in them. Shame pools in her stomach as she pushes herself away.

''You don't want this?'' It's as much an accusation as it is a question and she moves herself away from him entirely.

He, too, sits up, moving closer to Regina. ''Of course I do.'' Regina looked disbelieving at him, trying to find any hint of lie in his expression. When she found none, she relaxed, letting him touch her. ''But I can wait, Gina. We've only been together six months. We don't need to rush.''

He kissed the top of her head but Regina's fears still hadn't left her.

''But any moment, this could end. Mother could...Mother could...'' Mother could rip it apart she was going to say but her words were stopped by his finger on her lips and a 'shush'. ''That will only happen if you keep worrying about it.'' Daniel dropped his finger from her lips to her chin, gently raising it when her head dropped down. ''Regina, how are you supposed to live these moments, properly live them, when you're too busy worrying about what monster is gonna come storming around the corner. Anything that involves a properly thought out decision can wait, okay?'' He's looking at her with so much sincerity in his eyes, and Regina feels tears forming in her own. She nods and kisses him, realising this is when she fell in love with him, and when she realised that moments like this meant so much more than sex.

So they waited. And they waited. And they waited. Daniel never showing impatience at it all.

'We'll tell then he forced himself on you'. Oh how wrong you were Mother, so very wrong.

There's a knock against her door and Regina sighs, she really didn't want to have visitors. Still, she says 'come in' and there is a relief that spreads through her when it's her father that walks through the door and not a servant or, thankfully, her mother.

Daddy shuts the door behind him and Regina gives him a small smile for it- most people 'forget'.

''I thought I'd see how you were.'' he says as he places himself on the edge of her bed.

''Did you know?'' Regina immediately asks. She knows the answer, of course he knew.

Guilt forms in her eyes as he looks down. ''I did. Your mother didn't tell me directly but I worked it out eventually.''

Regina bites her bottom lip and asks, ''Why did you lie to me? You said you didn't know who was coming.''

Henry shakes his head. ''I don't know. I guess I thought I was helping you in some way.''

Regina nods. Of course he was, it's all hew ever done. She bites her lip again as her fingers lace and unlace as anxiety rushes through her. She breaths out and looked her father in the eyes. With all honesty she said, ''I don't want to go.''

Regret fills his eyes and now it was Regina's then to fee guilty. She looks away, wishing she hadn't said anything.

''You might enjoy it.''

Regina scoffs in disagreement. She doubted it. She never thought she'd say it but she wants to stay here.

''I wish it was Mother who was going.'' she admits.

''I know you don't mean that.'' Regina frowns but doesn't say anything. ''She thinks she's doing what best for you.'' Regina cocks an eyebrow, neither agreeing or disagreeing. ''You should get some sleep. It's a busy day tomorrow.'' He kisses the top of her head. Before he leaves, Regina asks one more question.

''Did you know about me and Daniel?''

Her father smiles sadly. ''I suspected. Goodnight, Regina.'' Once he's gone, Regina is left alone.

As she moves off the bed, she remembers what she had hidden under it. Kneeling down she pulls the covers away and drags out a box. Throwing the lid aside, she brings out one of Daniel's T-shirts she stole. She throws it over her head as she climbs into her bed. But sleep doesn't come and neither does wearing Daniel's clothes make it seem like he's there anymore. She's left feeling numb but can't bring herself to take it off. So she lies there, millions of thoughts about tomorrow running around in her head; what is the school like? What if no one likes her? What if she doesn't belong there? Is there some exam you have to take to see if you can leave and if you don't pass it you're stuck there forever? She doesn't like the thought of that- watching everyone walk through and leave knowing she's not leaving.

Regina eventually falls into an uneasy sleep- dreams full of this boarding school, the people there, Daniel downstairs enduring everything Mother throws a him, of Mother and her twisted ways and finally, of blood and tears until there's nothing left but the feeling of loneliness.

Morning arrives too quickly. It takes Regina a moment to realise what day it is. Monday- she's leaving today.

''Regina?''

Mother's voice rings through the door as she let's herself in. Panic seizes Regina as she pulls the covers- that she pushed down in her sleep- up, shielding what she's wearing...hopefully. She couldn't be having Mother asking where the shirt came from.

''The servants will pack your things for you. Miss French is coming at half ten.'' Regina nods, noticing the calmness in Mother's voice. She goes to ask of she has to go but quickly decides against it; just because the lion is tame doesn't mean it can't still bite. So she tries another tactic.

''Do you want me to go?'' Of course she does, stupid!

''It'll be a good experience for you.''

Mother potters around the room, picking up things and moving them for the sake of it, something Regina notices she does when she's nervous. 'See, Mother, we've all got those little habits.'

Regina knows it wouldn't be wise to poke a hive full of bees yet she does it anyway.

''Is that a yes or a no?''

And the bees attack her

''I know you're trying to get me to change my mind, Regina, but it's not going to happen. You're going to this school whether you like it or not!''

Regina resists the urge to jump out of the bed. Mother walked over to her vanity and picked up the snow globe. She holds it tightly in her hand as she tries calming down. Regina can't help but worry that she's going to break it. She wouldn't mind as much if someone else got it for her, but Daniel brought it for her last Christmas and Mother is not finding another thing of Daniel's love she can destroy.

But sadly for Regina, Cora sees her looking at it.

''I've never asked you were you got this from.''

Regina swallows, brain searching for an answer as Mother watches and waits for her.

''Father got me it.'' she replies distantly, hoping Mother would just leave the room.

But she doesn't. She smiles briefly and quickly. ''You're lying. Your father got you the rings.'' She holds up the globe. ''Now who got you this?''

Mother knows, there's no point in lying anymore. Dropping her head, Regina says, ''Daniel.''

She looks back up when she hears her mother sigh disappointingly, sees her inspecting it, turning it around in her fingers as she traces the winter Christmas village.

''Must have cost quite a bit.'' Cora says after her inspection is done.

Regina nods, each spent seeming dangerous. ''£60.''

''Sixty.'' Cora says absentmindly.

Then everything happens in slow motion. Regina watches as Mother's grip becomes loose, sees the globe fall out of her hand, heading straight to the floor where, upon impact, the glass ball shatters, pieces of the ginger bread house breaking off, fake snow scattering over the floor along with glass. Before she realises it, Regina is on her knees on the floor, tears forming in her eyes.

''You've ruined it!'' There's nothing she can feel now but anger ad she attempts to pick up the glass but she doesn't know where to start.

''But you didn't need it anymore. That boy's out of your life.''

She can't even face her as angry tears cloud her view. All she can see is red and it's taking all her will power just to remain where she is.

''I want you downstairs in ten minutes, Regina.'' Mother orders, the commanding voice audible again. ''And I don't want to see you wearing that. I've got the right mind to burn it when you leave.''

Once the door closes Regina can let her anger out. She picks up the remains of the snow globe and throws it forcefully at the door. More of it breaks and she's just filled with guilt replacing anger. Curling into a ball, she clutches the broken roof piece and breaks down with great heaving sobs.

Regina was lying in her bed, attempting to draw that slowly turned to doodles. Lost in her thoughts, it's a knock on the door that brings her out of them. Placing the pencil down, Regina sighs as she climbs off the bed.  
She expected to see a servant asking her what she would like to eat, but instead, she is greeted by Daniel holding a box.

She stared at him, caught between feeling happy that he's there but annoyed too since he knows he shouldn't be up here. Reflexes kicked in and, glancing a quick look outside to see if anyone was there, she dragged Daniel inside.

''You shouldn't be here.'' She tried to be serious but playfulness kept creeping in.

''I know but I wanted to give you this.'' He handed the box out to her. Regina took it and sat on the bed as she began untying the blue bow. Daniel swy next to her and rested his chin on her shoulder as his hands tangled in her hair.

She moved the wrappings out of the way and stared down at her present with awe. She reached down and picked up the snow globe. Regina gave it a little shake and watched the snow fall down onto the ginger bread house sitting in the dome.

''Do you like it?''

She nodded, giving it another shake and smiling. ''I love it.'' She turns her head and kissed him once. ''But I've got nowhere to put it where my mother won't find it.''

Daniel stood from the bed and took the snow globe out of her hands. He looked around the room then walked towards her vanity.

''How about here?'' he asked, placing it on the table before Regina could answer. ''And look,'' he motions back and forth between Regina and the globe. ''It makes your mirror this look so much better.''

Regina rolled her eyes. ''It's called a vanity and when my mother sees the globe, she's going to want to know where it came from.''

Daniel shrugged. ''Lie. Say your dad got you it.''

It might work but somehow, Regina knows her mother would know the truth. She probably knows about- no! She's not going to think about that.

The double must have shown in her eyes as Daniel walks over to her and kneels, grasping hold of her hands.

''I don't care who you say bought it I just want one thing in this relationship that we don't have to keep a secret. So please, Gina, don't hide it away.''

Regina looked between the globe and Daniel. She saw the pleading in his eyes and it softened her resolve.

''Okay.''

Daniel smiled and it filled her with warmth.

''Thank you.'' he says.

Her sobs subside as she sits up and looks at the mess on the floor, to the comment about her sleepwear. Mother was determined to destroy every trace of Daniel and Regina had no choice but to let her. 


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the wait! I had so many problems with this and I couldn't write anymore and...yeah. Life. Anyway, I'm back! I don't know when I'll update it again but hopefully I'll won't be too long. Anyways, reviews are greatly appreciated because I have no idea this is good, bad, terrible...I have no idea if anyone is still rolling with this so a review would be nice. Anyway, here it is.

Rolling the broken ornament in her hand, Regina stared up at the school she had just arrived outside of. It seemed to be more of a giant house than what she imagined. Eight sets of windows adorned each floor, the two floors in the middle had two sets of balconies running along it, the bricks painted white.

Across the road was a smaller building- also a school and it looked to only have two floors. Was it normal for two schools to be put opposite each other?

After her inspection is done, Regina looks to Belle who nods at her, silently saying it's okay to enter. Regina gives her a little smile, grasps the gingerbread house roof a little tighter and slowly climbs the steps.

When she enters, she seems to be the only person there, yet something tells her she's not alone. Regina can feel multiple presences around her. She ignores the way her heart beats quicker at that.

Regina knows that it'll be better to speak, to see what's there but she doesn't want to make the things become visible. So she waits in the centre of the threshold where the main stairs are and she wanders where Belle is, where her luggage is, where everybody is. There's nothing but silence, like she is the only one in the building. There's no chatter, no laughter, nobody walking along the corridors upstairs. It's just her. Her and these presences and Regina doesn't know what this means.

Or maybe she does. Perhaps this was a joke on Mother's part. Make it seem like she was being sent away to teach her a lesson or something. Belle would come back in and take her home.

But even Regina knows that's not true. Mother isn't one for jokes, Regina isn't going home. She's staying here.

Lost in thought her body jerks involuntarily as the main door shuts with a thud. Breathing deeply, as she turns to head to look behind her she sees something black and blurred run across the arched door ways in the other room.

Throat suddenly dry, the ornament digging into her palm as she holds it, Regina is frozen in mid movement, the hammering in her chest becoming harder to ignore. She feels dizzy with fear. Wants to leave, but no fight or flight reflexes will kick in. She's just frozen.

It's something clanging beside her that undoes her temporary paralysis. She whips her head around and is confronted by a figure in completely covered in black. Heart stopping for a moment Regina doesn't feel herself falling until her palms (and fingers wrapped around the ornament) hit the floor as knees smack painfully against the concrete hidden beneath.

Regina shuts her eyes against the figures. It's only when she hears one of them laughing and their voice does she open them.

''Wow. Most people tell us to stop it by now. You do make it easy.''

Regina looks up to see a girl take off the black cloak, shaking out her blonde hair. The two beside her do the same.

''I'm Mal,'' says the girl. ''Those two tag alongs are Ursula and Carla. And you are?''

''It takes Regina and moment to process it all. She's still lying on the floor so she fixes that by pushing her up. Brushing the dirt off her as she tries to comprehend why these people, who have just tried to scare the shit out of her, are now being friendly with her.

They look at her expectantly, waiting for an answer. The darker skinned girl drones out a 'well...'

Regina stutters, falls over the letters of her words. ''R- R...Regina.''

Mal rolls her eyes. ''So you're the new girl we were told about?''

Regina nods her head, not knowing if that's a good thing for a bad thing. Mal smirks and goes to speak again but is stopped by the sound of heels hitting the floor. The smirk leaves.

''Mother Superior.'' she greets inside.

The clicking heels stop and Regina turns around to see a little brunette woman standing just a way from the door. At first Regina wonders were she came from but then she notices the little side door and assumes she must have came from there.

''Mallory,'' she greets back, her voice having a slight sing song to it. She eyes Regina. ''You must be the new girl; Regina. Belle told me about you yesterday.''

Regina smiles weakly, unsure of what else to do. Was 'new girl' to be her new moniker here or something?

The woman speaks again. ''I'm Mother Superior, the headmistress of the school.'' Mother Superior addresses Mal again. ''Since you've decided you'll be the first one to meet her she can move into your room with you.''

Regina watches as Mal's expression changes to disgust. ''Why do we get her? Why can't she live with Jesus' Mother?''

Switching back to call at the superior's face, Regina sees the kindness in her eyes turn into something more stern. ''Mary Margaret already has for people in her room. Besides, Regina knows you, I'm sure she'll be more comfortable with you.''

The girl rolls her eyes but doesn't argue anymore. ''Come on, then.'' she grabs Regina's arm, nails digging in and the hold reminds Regina too much of her mother. ''I'll give you a personal guide of the school.'' she smiles at Mother Superior which the head delivers back and Regina is taken up the stairs.

The bedroom that the four girls now share is bare apart from four beds, two wardrobes, and table in the corner. Mal, Ursula and Carla place themselves on what they already claimed to be their beds leaving Regina with the unused one in the corner. She walks over to it, noticing that the bedding had been changed which is is thankful for. If living with her Mother taught her anything remotely productive to every day life was that Regina hated dirt. Everything had to be clean. She had to be clean.

Placing herself on her bed. She watched as Carla turns the pages of whatever magazine she is reading, Ursula writes, and Mal taps away. Regina looks down at the hands, switches the broken roof from one hand to the other and feels awkward. She feels like she shouldn't be here. Hell, they don't even want her here, Mal made that much clear before. Regina's eyes move to the door, Mal told her before they entered the room that 'Jesus' Mother' was in the room opposite them. At first, Regina frowned but then remembered that 'Jesus' Mother' was a girl Mother Superior called 'Mary Margaret'. It took Regina a minute to figure out why the nickname but when she realised, she did secretly give Mal the credit for coming up with it. Still, now she wonders if she would have been more comfortable with that girl.

''So, Queenie, why were you sent here?''

Regina looks up towards Mal's bed to see her lying on her stomach, her hand under a chin, and wanting for her answer. Regina looked at the other two, who had also stopped what they were doing to here the answer. She's pretty sure her story is nothing compared to theirs and Regina thinks about lying. As soon as the thought enters her head she immediately decides against, she can't lie about Daniel. So she chooses just to ignore the question instead.

''I don't want to talk about it.'' Regina says, looking back down at the ornament.

Mal huffs in annoyance as Carla tutts. ''Whatever,'' says Mal, sitting up. ''I could always get Emma to break into the office and read your file.''

Regina doesn't say anything. She can get anyone to do whatever she wants them to do, she doesn't want to talk about Daniel, or her mother right now, especially not to a pair of three gossip scavenging strangers.

There's a silence between them. Regina knows she's being watched, can feel it, and she tries not to make eye contact with Mal until she asks another questions. ''What's that?'' Regina sees her looking at the ornament in her hand. She stops playing with it, suddenly conscious of Mother's words 'it makes you look weak'.

''Just something from home.''

''Oh.'' is all Mal says.

There's a table next to the bed and Regina places the broken piece on that. It looks small compared to the largeness of the table and out of place. Regina resists the urge to move it- once she starts she'll never stop. Left with nothing for her hands to do she laces them together and wills herself not to fidget.

There's a ping from a phone and Mal is typing away again. Regina watches her and waits for her to be done before asking,  
''When will my things be brought up?''

Throwing the phone down again, Mal shrugs. ''Maybe when we're at lunch which will be in half an hour.''

Great, Regina thinks and looks away, biting her lip. If she had her luggage she could be sorting through that instead of sitting here like a spare part.

''You'll get it. Belle just has other things to deal with.''

Everyone seems to have other things to deal with, Regina thinks as she watches Mal type away, Ursula write, Carla flick as she listens to the silence from outside. She looks out of the window and just sees the tops of buildings. There's no cars, no people, no noise. They're out of the way here. Away from all the saints they could contaminate with there apparent filthiness that got all of them sent here.

And Regina hates being dirty.


	6. Chapter 6

An update, yay! I'm quite happy with this chapter and managed to include almost everything I wanted. Thank you to everyone who has spent the time to write a review, you give me a purpose to write and I also look to your reviews whenever I'm stuck. So to everyone else, I'm always grateful for one and yeah, tell me what you think below.

The lunch hall is packed with girls as they scurry around trying to find a table to sit at. Those who've already found a seat, talk and laugh amongst themselves.

Regina follows Mal and the other two, clutching her tray of food (if you can really call it that). As they pass tables, the girls' cease their conversations. All their eyes go to Regina. She grips the plastic tray a little tighter, avoids eye contact with those watching her. She keeps her gaze downwards, watching her feet beneath the object she's holding to make sure she doesn't trip over something (like her own feet). It wouldn't do to embarrass herself now.

Regina never liked attention. Mother relished in it, usually dragging her daughter into it with her. They say that a few days after Regina was born, Mother held her up for show like she was some evil panda put on their display.

Even when she was a child she used to have 'tantrums' Mother would call it about having to stand in front of crowds of people. Mother said she'd grow used to it but even bow Regina still can't stand it. The anxiety that would form, her heart would thump, her sight go weary. Trying not to stutter, fall over her words, play with her fingers...with anything. Anything to keep her mother happy. No, she definitely didn't like attention.

Carla notices her distress and slows down to walk beside her.

''You should revel in it, darling.'' Regina knows she's talking about the attention she's receiving. ''These people are dying to know what the new girl is here for.'' Carla gives on of the onlookers a little smile. ''They'll hang on to your every word.'' She hurries up a little to catch up to Ursula.

It's funny how two completely different people can have similar words. Mother used to say the same thing.

As she gets closer to the table (thus getting further away from the other girls) they all go back to their laughing and chatting and bitching. Oh, and also conversations about her judging by the 'I want what she's here for' statements.

Mal stops walking it seems. Regina, who was too busy looking behind her, almost walks into Carla but, luckily, she turns her head just at the right time. From what Regina can see, the table is already occupied but Mal sits down in the seat nearest to her. The other two rush around to claim the seats on the other side. Regina places her tray on the table and cautiously sits on the chair next to Mal. She doesn't stop herself from playing with her fingers, running from thumb along the nail of her pinky repeatedly.

Another blonde haired girl sitting next to Carla sighs and says: ''And here I was thinking we could have lunch in peace.''

''You can,'' says Mal between eating. ''Just don't start anything.''

''I won't,'' the girl answers back. ''Just don't piss me off.'' She turns to Regina then. ''You in the same room as them?''

Regina looks up, finds the blonde staring at her. Not knowing what else to say she answers with a 'yes' to which the girl replies with a, ''I feel sorry for you.''

Regina only gives her a small smile in reply. They weren't that bad. Anyway, if Regina could change anything it would be Daniel. They would have left before Mother found out about them or at least had the chance to catch them. She thinks back on her dream- of her and Daniel alone, free to love each other whenever they wanted. No more sneaking around, no more hiding in the shadows. It's just the two of them. Maybe they would have made it out of the country by now.

''Isn't he beautiful?''

As usual the aching grief of Daniel's death (that's what it is now, isn't it?) Weighs heavy on her heart. She feels the familiar nausea that this is her reality now. Alone, miles away from her home, living her life without him. How did she managed those thirteen years without him there?

'Because you had someone who cared about you'. A voice says. 'You had your father. Now you just have these people.'

''Mr Booth? He's a teacher, Ruby.'' says Mal pushing her tray away.

The mention makes Regina realise she hasn't even touched hers. She hasn't been listening to the conversation, either. Not having a clue when this 'Ruby' got here.

She looks up to see another girl looking at her (do they ever stop they're looking?) The girl is younger than she is, at least by two years, with her ebony hair making her pale face look ill and big green eyes. The girl doesn't look like she should be here. She looks too pure and innocent. The girl gives his a smile to reach Regina returns and begins to eat her food. It takes a lot of willpower to swallow it without throwing up as she eats this porridge stuff. They couldn't give them something decent to eat?

''I don't see why you're interested in someone older anyway.'' Mal continues, a hint of innocence in her voice.

The blonde laughs. ''And what was the reason Daddy send you here, Mallory?''

Mal frowns but it's quickly replaced by a smirk. Ruby, Carla, and Ursula watch the scene unfold while the pale girl looks away. Regina waits, giving up on her food to see what Mal says.

She lean towards the other girl, resting her weight on her arms. ''Just because you don't have a dad.''

Not a second goes by before the table is pushed forward. The girl rams it into both Regina and Mal's stomachs. The younger girl's cry of 'Emma!' as Emma stands up, fury in her eyes. Regina looks to Mal, uncertain of what else to do. She sees a satisfied smile on the girl's lips, not hazed by Emma's sudden anger.

''No, I don't.'' then the girl is walking away. Regina notices that all eyes are back on her again. Have been since the table skidded against the floor.

''Can't you two just be civil with each other for once?'' the younger girl asks.

''I was!'' Mal says, her voice dull of defense. She crosses her arms. ''She shouldn't talk about things she doesn't understand.''

'But that's what you did', Regina doesn't say it. As Mal looks away she catches the hurt in her eyes. But it seems like the girl didn't.

''Neither should you, Mal.'' The little girl stands up. There was no venom in her voice, just fact. ''I'm going to see if she's okay.'' The girl takes off in the same direction as Emma.

''Mary!'' Ruby cries come and she, too, is following her friend out the hall.

With only the four of them left, Regina wanders what's just happened. Carla giggles slightly. ''Enjoying your first day?''

Regina sighs and turns to Mal who seems far away somewhere. What dysfunctional shit hole did you put me in, Mother?


	7. Chapter 7

It seems a bit pointless- their lessons starting at 1:00pm. Why not just begin them tomorrow?

''Because Blue has no logic.'' Mal says.

That's when another voice spoke behind Regina.

''It allows people to get here.'' Regina turns around to see a girl with blonde, curly hair sitting at a desk behind her. ''We're given until One to get here. If you're not here by that time...'' the girl shrugs. ''You get detention probably. I'm Izzy, by the way. You're the new girl, aren't you? The one who got sent here because she was raped.''

''What-'' Regina pauses, struck by the girl's words. The room seems to grow quiet, the atmosphere in the air changes. Only Mal's voice cuts through it clean, like a knife through butter.

''You were raped?'' she asks, her voice full of concern and curiousity.

Once again, eye are on her. Regina toys with her sleeve as she wonders were Izzy got this information from. That conversation was only between her and her mother.

Mother!

Regina mentally kicks herself for not realising this before. She came through with her word- told those vultures that Daniel raped her and somehow that had gotten to this girl.

She fights back the tears beginning to form. In a shaky voice she says, ''I- it was just a misunderstanding.''

''Did you rape him?'' Carla asks immediately after. Regina cringes at her words. Before she can say anything Mal jumps in with her insults.

''You really are as stupid as those puppies you kill. Does she look like Zelena?''

Regina frowns at her words but doesn't think anymore of it. These girls are still grudgingly waiting for her answer. ''I wasn't rape. Neither did I rape him.'' she glances at Carla who turns away to look out the window. Turning back, Regina mumbles, ''I shouldn't even be here.'' She looks away, waiting nothing more than to leave.

Mal notices her discomfort. She jumps off the table and stands next to Regina. ''Well, whatever she's here for, it doesn't matter.'' she says. ''None of us needs to know.'' The look in her eyes has the girl's turning away. Regina smiles, maybe being around Mal wasn't a bad idea after all.

''You should be careful what you read, Tink.'' Mal continues, her attention primarily on Izzy. ''You don't have to believe everything you see.'' Izzy doesn't say anything- the girl seems to sink into her chair, eyes downcasts.

''Sit down for me, Mallory.'' the door shuts and everyone's attention goes to the front to what Regina can only assume is their teacher for the hour. A happy giggle slips out of Ruby's mouth as she not-so-subtly tries to move the table closer to the front.

Mal sits down on the seat next to Regina and the teacher smiles.

''Right,'' he says after everyone is sorted and seated. ''Let's see how many of you actually read the letters we sent out. Get your books out.''

There's a chatter as bags are placed on tables. Regina looks around, unsure of what 'books' they were supposed to bring. Beside her, Mal throws 'Sleeping Beauty' down onto the table.

''You don't have one, do you?'' Mal asks.

Regina shakes her head. ''I didn't know.'' She wonders what she'll be doing for the lesson. These books seem to be important. Maybe she'll share Mal's.

''So let's see,'' the teacher's eyes move about the room. ''All expect...'' they land on Regina. ''One.''

Regina downcasts her eyes. She looks up when Mal's hand wraps around her arm. ''She didn't know, sir. She's new.''

''You're the new girl?'' he walks over to the list of names on the paper. ''Regina Mills.'' He looks back up. ''I'm Mr Booth, your English teacher,'' Regina glances over at Ruby who only has eyes for him. ''And it looks like you are going to have to take a visit to the library.''

''I'll take her!'' Mal stands up, her voice full of enthusiasm.

Regina can see the hesitance in his eyes as he wonders if he should allow it. Sighing, he gives in. ''Fine.'' he says. ''But just this once. And I want you there and back.''

''We will.'' says Mal already walking towards the door.

Regina quickly follows her, giving a small smile to the teacher as he shuts the door behind them. She sees Mal looking out the window smiling slightly before hurrying down the corridor.

''Mal, wait!'' Regina calls trying to catch up to her.

Mal slows down but only to grab Regina's hand, pulling her along. ''I can't wait. I want you to see some people.''

''In a library?'' Regina asks as they run down a set of stairs. Who's going to be in a library that Mal is so desperate for her to meet.

''Believe me, they're gonna be worth it.''

Still confused over the whole situation, Regina wonders who 'they' could be.

''Isn't it in their code of conduct that they're not allowed to be within a metre of males?''

''Nah,'' says Will throwing his rucksack over his shoulder. ''They'll still have the old conduct from when it was a school for the brainy girls.''

''I still don't get it,'' says Killian. He frowns as he says, ''They send them to an all girl's boarding school so they're away from lads and then let us enter.'' The people around him laugh lightly. ''Isn't that just temptation for them?'' Killian asks, looking around for somebody to answer. ''Not to mention us.'' he adds- more to himself.

Robin hears it, though. Shaking his head from where he sits. ''There's plenty of other girls around. Not just those.''

An evil smirk forms on Killian's face. Carefully he says, ''What, like Marian?'' the other boys around him whoop and cheer.

Robin rolls his eyes, focusing back on packing his bag and not their petty conversations.

Ever since Killian found out about his and Marian's relationship last year, it had been none stop. Towards the end of the term, it had calmed down but the jokes and light hearted remarks still came whenever her name was mentioned. It did annoy him at times but he could understand it. Will Scarlet had been the first of all of them to be in a relationship and Robin remembers the hard time they'd given him over it.

''All this noise must mean you're ready to go.''

The room grows quiet as Gold finishes speaking. Ever since Leopold Blanchard elected him as Head of the school, most people thought he'd stick to just managing the school but no, the man decided he was going to carry on teaching beside it.

It wasn't hard, though. The school was usually quiet. The only person who caused any trouble was Killian and perhaps a few others but that was only when they were bored.

Gold leads the way out of the classroom, everyone following in pursuit. Robin throws it bag over his shoulder and follows everyone out as they make their way over to the girl's school.

They've been doing this for a couple of years now. For some reason, St Leopold's never built a library so every term the boys went to St Eva's to borrow books from there. Robin would be surprised if, by the time they leave, he hadn't read all the books in there.

The halls are quiet, everyone, no doubt, caught up in their lessons. They enter the refurbished library. A deep red carpet covers the floor, dark oak tables fill the centre and a jungle of shelves begin mid way and extend to the back of the room. Off to the side, Robin sees a space, large enough to hold at least six people, hidden away slightly by the shelves. Robin hums his approval, he likes it. Much better than that old pink and blue style they had. It even had a more welcoming smell; books and coffee.

He joins the others who gather around the table as Gold speaks.

''We have thirty minutes. You choose your book and you get ready to leave.'' he instructs.

A mummer of 'yes, sir' leaves the boy's mouths.

''Good.'' Gold says. ''And, if any of the girls come in, you do not speak to them.''

The rough carpet digs into Regina's knees as she kneels next to Mal behind a bookshelf watching the scene in front of her. Mr Booth told them to be there and back and they've already been gone for twenty minutes, someone will come looking for them and then what will happen? She'll be in trouble on her first official day (a great way to start) all for this.

'' _This_ is what we're here for?''

Mal scoffs. ''You wait a few more months then you'll start being thankful for 'this'.''

Regina turns back to watching, sees all the boys (she didn't even know they were allowed to be here, kind of defeats the whole object of sending them to an all girls school, doesn't it?) go off to look for a book.

Regina sighs, this is what Mal practically dragged her here for, just to watch. She'd rather grab her book and leave.

''Can't we go?''

Mal sighs and rolls her eyes. ''Find your book then,'' she says. Regina stands up but not before hearing Mal's mumbling of ''This was more fun with Carla and Ursula.'' _Perhaps you should have brought them then,_ Regina thinks. She's just about to talk from the space when the creak of the door opens. Her heart hammers as something twists in her stomach and she quickly turns around, hair whipping her face. Everything stills, though, when she realises it's only Belle.

''We're not going to get caught.'' Mal says, frustration clearly heard. ''But do you want to know something?''

''I'd rather just find my book.'' Regina says, leaving the area.

She hears Mal's snippy 'fine' but ignores it. Instead, she wonders what genre 'fairy tales' come under and begins reading the titles above the shelves. Her eyes scan, _Action, Classic, Crime, Drama, Fable, Fairy tale..._ Regina pauses and mentally kicks herself. _The most obvious place, idiot._ She walks over to the shelf and begins to read all the different titles until her eyes land on Hansel and Gretel.

She takes it off the shelf, feeling the rough cover beneath her hands. Opening the first pages, she begins reading it, allowing her feet to take her anywhere. Soon, the library and the quiet noise is gone. Instead she's in the forest feeling the cold air around her, dropping the pebbles onto the ground, hearing the howling of the wolves, the swish of the trees in the wind, a heavy thud hitting the ground...

 _A heavy thud hitting the ground?_

Said thud forces her back into the real world. She's walk a bit, actually, found herself in the children's section. Her hands empty, the book on the floor and another person standing in front of her.

Regina blushes when she realises. Realises she's walked straight into a person. Mother's voice enters her head unannounced. _You shouldn't daydream, Regina. It makes you look stupid._ Regina had resisted the urge to tell her that it actually increases your creativity but she hadn't been in the mood for an argument that day.

''A little bit lost there, were you?'' he says.

Regina nods, nervously pushes her hair behind her ear. She picks up her book, focusing all her attention on that and mutters a little 'sorry'.

He chuckles, tells her it's _all right_ and goes to pick up his own book that had someone fallen on the floor. Regina can't help but laugh when she sees the title.

''The Cat in the Hat?'' her voice laced with seriously.

The boy shrugs. ''Gold said we could choose whatever book we wanted.''

''Gold also said you can't talk to us.'' she says, truthfully.

A disappointment clouds his eyes. ''He did.'' he sighs.

There's a silence that passes between them. They should stop talking to each other. Regina heard all this Gold told his class, heard the warning in his voice when he told them not to speak to her or anyone else. Regina can't help but feel a little angry at that. That anger fades, however, when she sees him looking at her with those really blue eyes.

''Are you new?'' he asks.

Regina bows her head again, fingers lacing together as she tries to keep out her mother's words about fidgeting. _Oh my God, just get out of my life._ Even miles away she's still _here._

''Yes.'' Regina says. ''And you shouldn't be talking to me.''

She about to walk away when he calls 'wait' and she does, for some reason.

''Whatever you're here for, it can't be worse than why some other girls are here.''

She thinks back to the bits of conversations she'd picked up between the one and a half day she's been here. Most notably Carla who kills puppies and Zelena who seemed to have raped someone. _No, it's not. All I did was love someone but even that can be considered wrong._ Instead of saying all this and no doubt prompting him to ask questions, questions she doesn't want to answer to a boy she met just five minutes ago, she simply says, ''I guess it just depends on your perspective.''

He hums in approval. Regina looks to the clock and realises just how long she's been. ''And I need to go,'' she says bringing her book closer to her chest. ''I'm already really late.''

His eyes go on the boys who have gathered back around the table. ''Yeah,'' he says nodding. ''I should, too.''

They part ways, Regina hoping that Mal hasn't deserted her, Regina didn't exactly go off looking for a book on good terms and well...she needs help finding the classroom again she realises.

As she walks back to the spot where she and Mal where, Regina looks back. He's gone from the area and when she looks to the door, she catches a glimpse of him looking back at her and then he's gone.

She wonders if they'll ever meet again. Actually no, they never will. This was a onetime thing, just a coincidence that she walked into him. It will never happen again. It can't.

Regina's thankful when she sees that Mal is still waiting for her but her gratitude goes when she sees the smirk on her face. She saw it all.

''Have fun finding your book, did you?'' she asks, her voice heavily laced with sarcasm.

Regina just frowns at her and tells her _we need to go_. Mal pushes herself off the bookshelf she was leaning against and follows Regina out the room.

As they walk back to the classroom, Regina bracing herself against the lecture they're both going to receive as soon as they walk through the door, she realises that she didn't even get the boy's name.


	8. Chapter 8

So I actually want to thank Alyssa for giving me Aurora's last name because I couldn't think of one and though it might sound a little out there and weird it actually works in a way for the fic if you know it's meaning. Also, this is the first time I've ever properly wrote Emma (like, from her POV) so it's probably not the best and I was absolutely terrified of writing it. Anyway, I think I've said this before but this was never just a Regina (or Robin) story so you'll probably see a little more of these random POVs popping up everywhere. And, as always, I hope you like it :)

The gate clangs shut loudly. Or at least it sounds loud to her against the quietness of the street. As a reflex, Emma looks up at the windows and the doors of the school hoping the noise hadn't attracted some unwanted attention. It's stupid, she knows, she's at least 50 yards away from the building and the gate wasn't that loud. But she can't risk getting caught. She hasn't yet, why fuck it up now?

She pads away from the gate, heading down the deserted alleyway that leads directly to the park, her feet tracing the familiar cobble path. Emma's been down this road for a year ever since the doubt that she made the right choice two years ago started settling in. How many nights had she told herself that she'd made the right choice, that she'd done it to give him his best chance. It seemed right at the time, she couldn't look after a baby at sixteen but the more time passed and the older she got, Emma wondered if it really was the right choice.

That's when Mary Margaret had given her the idea to see if she could find him. So, after a lot of searching and a lot of anonymous phone calls from phone boxes and disposable mobiles, they'd finally gotten a hit with a Norwegian woman named Elsa Hansen who had agreed to meet with Emma whenever they could to ease Emma's worries (as Mary Margaret had put it) about the child.

Not much is said between them during their meet ups, just the usual questions such as if the boy is okay, if he's doing well (as well as a two year old could). Answers were kept simple and they'd part. Elsa would go back to her job and Emma would go back to school.

She sees the woman through the tree leaves, sitting on the bench watching some ducks swim in the lake. Emma coughs as she gets near to the bench which diverts Elsa's attention and the older woman smiles at her, motions for Emma to sit, which she does, a little away and pushes her slightly broken glasses up her nose.

There's a little awkwardness. This may have been happening for a year, but their meetings aren't really frequent. Emma can't really sneak away that often, Elsa's tied up elsewhere. Emma usually picks the lessons not important enough to her (like many of them are anyway) and skips them to see her son's social worker.

''How is he?'' Emma's the one to break the silence that formed.

''He's fine. As always.'' Elsa says, her answers short and swift.

''Has he made any friends yet?'' It's a question she asks each time. And each time she receives the same answer.

Elsa doesn't look at her as she answers. ''Not yet.''

Emma nods. Just nods. What else was she supposed to do? She knew the answers, knows every time she asks it.

Elsa sighs, looks at her. ''It's early days, Emma. He'll make some soon.''

Her tongues pushes against the back of her teeth as frustration gnaws at her. ''You always say that. He's two, shouldn't he already have friends? Be making more?'' The situation reminds Emma too much of herself. Not that she remembers what she was like at two but she knows that she probably didn't have many friends. Was it like this for all children who never had parents? Where parents to key to making friends? Emma guesses she'll never know; the only friends she really has is a forced upon sister and a goody-two-shoes.

Another moment of silence passes between them. Elsa looking back at the ducks and Emma looking at the ground, running her feet along the stones. She wants to see him, she realises. Of course, it's not the first time she thought this. Often, after these meetings, she walks home wondering what would happen if she asks. Each time she comes back, she never does, and she walks away wondering once more. She glances at Elsa who seems far away. Their time is running out, class will be ending soon, it's only so long she can go missing for before someone notices, she has to ask now.

''Can I see him?''

Elsa looks at her and Emma can see the thoughts flicker through her eyes. The dilemmas. The yes, you cans, he's your son and the no, you can'ts, it's against the rules.

 _But this is also against the rule._ Emma hopes her own eyes reflect her own thoughts.

Elsa downcasts her eyes and Emma waits, wonders what the answer will be, even though it'll be a no.

''You can.''

Emma hardly hears the answer. She stands up, about to walk away before she stops and realises what Elsa has just said. Turning quickly, she looks at the woman still sitting on the bench, eyeing her in disbelief.

''What?'' Emma asks.

''I'll take you to him,'' Emma can still hardly believe it. If their meetings weren't breaking the rules enough, this definitely was. Elsa would lose her job (which is already probably at risk) and if Mother Superior finds out...No! Emma refuses to think of that woman right now, this is for her, _her_ decisions, not her 'so called' mother's.

Elsa stands up and begins walking down the path headed in the opposite way to where Emma entered. Emma follows her, hardly believing she's going to have the chance and meet her son for the first time with nothing standing (at least physical, anyway) in her way.

''Does she not own anything that makes her look like Mary Margaret's mother?''

Mal reaches the end of Regina's clothes pile, throwing it back into the box and kicking it back under her bed.

''Why are you so desperate for her to go anyway?'' Carla says, her eyes never leaving the magazine she's reading. ''She doesn't look like the party type.''

''No, she doesn't,'' Mal agrees, flopping herself down on the bed. ''Which is why I'm taking her.''

She'd got the message an hour ago that Killian's dad and brother would be going away for the weekend and that he had the house to himself which instantly meant he had to have a house party. Not that Mal was complaining, she'd do anything to get out of this prison and although leaving to go to a party organised by a boy wasn't technically allowed she isn't one to pass up the chance so she decided she was going to go, and take Regina with her _if_ she could find the right clothes for her.

''Well I'm going anyway.'' Carla says, turning one of the pages.

Mal can't help the smirk that forms. ''Because James will be there?''

''Of course.'' Carla looks up smiling.

Mal resists the urge to tell her. Tell her that her little Jimmy has moved on since the last time they saw each other. Now he's running around after some slag who just so happens to go to the same school Aurora Pendula goes to, but Carla doesn't need to know that, she'll find that out tomorrow night.

''I still need to decide what Regina's wearing.'' says Mal, sighing as she mentally goes through imagines of Regina's saintly clothes, none of which are passable to wear for that night. Regina definitely needs a confidence boost and her clothes are definitely a hindrance. _Ugh, I sound like Carla._

Most of the time Mal wouldn't have bothered, she didn't when Ursula first came here (though Ursula did have more attractive clothes) But there was something about Regina that Mal couldn't help but want to help her, how scared she seems and lost and lonely. So when she came across Killian's status she knew that maybe this was the right thing for the little new girl, something to help her loosen up a little and stop being so scared of everyone.

Carla's voice cuts through Mal's thoughts. ''You could give her one of your dresses.''

She could, but...a side-by-side comparison of their style of clothing showed that they were two very different people but maybe that's what Regina needs, Mal realises, something that's different and new and Mal just so happens to have the exact thing.

Robin stares at the words on the page. He's not reading it, not really, can't even remember what the last sentence said without looking at it. All week his mind's been preoccupied ever since he went to the library and the girl he's never seen before walked into him, can't get her out of his head. The way her cheeks blushed when she realised she'd walked into him, how she nervously tucked her thick fluffy hair that his fingers wanted to touch behind her ear, how she avoided eye contact and her fingers fidgeted together. He wonders if he'd ever see her again or maybe it was just a onetime thing. Robin shifts in the chair. It doesn't matter, he tells himself, there not supposed to come within ten feet of each other. Stupid really, it's like they're wild animals.

''Are you done with the book?'' Marian asks placing her pen down and sitting up.

 _No, I'm not_ , Robin thinks but he doesn't feel like getting interrogated anymore today over why he hasn't read it, he's had half an hour to do so. _Not all of us can read in record time, Marian._

So he says _yes_ instead, closing the book and handing it over to her.

Marian takes it but places it next to her writing book that's already got a full page worth of answered questions on it. ''You seem really far away.''

''I'm fine.'' Robin says, leaning over to grab his own writing book from the table. He looks at a random question, his eyes scanning the sentence: _What does the picture tell us about the article?_

Robin sighs, his eyes shifting to the picture of an outstretched arm with an eagle perched on it, it's wings outstretched. He wonders what to write, has something but he doubts _The article is about an eagle_ will get him even a G grade. So, instead, he pushes it away, the thought of it already giving him a headache.

''You need to try, Robin.''

''I have. There's no point,'' he says shrugging his shoulders. ''I'll do it tomorrow.''

Marian huffs out a breath. ''It needs to be handed in tomorrow!'' she says. They've had this conversation before. Marian defines 'spending time with each other' the same as 'studying', since Monday night he'd spent all his free time watching Marian study while he sits on this chair dying from boredom.

''Can't we do something else?'' Robin asks feeling like he's out of all options.

''I need to do this, Robin. This is my last chance to get the grades I want. That I need.''

Robin sighs again, sinking into his chair as Marian continues.

''You might not care about this stuff but I do.''

She goes back to writing, scribbling away answering the questions with detailed answers. Beside him, Robin's phone buzzes, a message of _I need your help with this party thing_ from Killian appearing on his screen.

Robin looks to Marian, lost in writing. It wouldn't hurt to leave for a bit, will it? He grabs his phone and pushes himself out of the chair when Marian stops writing.

''Where are you going?''

''Killian wants help with his party.'' he tells her.

''Are you going to it?''

''Are you?''

Marian shakes her head. ''School is more important right now.''

Robin nods. He should have known. ''I'm going,'' he says. He had promised Killian he'd be there and Robin's not one to break a promise.

''Fine. I'll call Aurora and see what she's doing.'' Marian sits up again, crossing her legs.

''Great. Well, I'm gonna go. You know how Killian hates waiting.''

Marian nods, gives him a little smile, one that actually makes him feel slightly guilty for leaving her.

''Look, I can stay if you want me too.''

Marian shakes her head. ''No, it's fine. You're right. I shouldn't try to force you to do it. It's just...I'm just...stressed.''

''Don't be.'' he tells her, smiling a little. ''School's only just started, you've got ages.'' he bends down and kisses her lightly before she starts writing again and he leaves the room.

As he shuts the front door and walks down the now-deserted street Robin wonders if there could be a chance that the new girl also goes to the party and would be lying if he didn't say he didn't hope so.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** **Firstly, warning for attempted rape. I think this is the longest chapter so far. Something like 3k words. I dunno, I lot happens I guess. I can't really say much else apart from the warning and we were going to get another POV but this chapter would be way too long and I need sleep so...Also, since I didn't give you a Regina POV last chapter, I dedicate this entire chapter to her. And yeah, hope you** _ **enjoy**_ **it :)**

She pushes down the hem of the dress for what seems like the millionth time as Mal darts about the cluttered room, picking up accessories dotted about and switching them with the ones she was previously wearing. Regina stands in the corner trying to stay out of the way and feeling extremely exposed.

They'd spent the better half of an hour going through all of Mal's dresses. Regina spent most of the time putting them on and taking them off, then putting another dress on and then taking that off, and so on. At least more than once Regina did question how many dresses Mal actually owned.

Finally they, (or Mal) had 'found the right one'. Regina did wonder what exactly gave it that title. Her stomach keeps tightening and she can't help but feel sick at the uncomfortableness of it all.

She hadn't wanted to go. When she entered the room, she hadn't been given a chance to even sit down before Mal grabbed her hand and ordered her to take her clothes off, which was actually enough to make Regina freeze for a second before Mal laughed slightly and told her what was happening. Regina had tried to protest, tell her that she didn't want to go, that she was much better here, but Mal had insisted, telling how this could be good for her then asking her if she'd ever been to a party before.

At first, Regina didn't know what to say. She could lie, say she's been to loads but somehow she knows Mal would see through them all. So she came clean. 'Party' hadn't been a common word Regina said or heard. The only things that Regina had been too that were remotely close to a 'party' were the dinners she'd been dragged to by Mother in order to learn 'how to sell a house' (because that was the most important thing in life). But never had she been something that had been organised by a 16 year old boy and his friends.

Mal had only replied with a _Well, you're about to see how the real world works._ Before handing Regina another dress and telling her to put that on which Regina had accepted with a gloomy smile and anxiety reforming in her stomach.

''Don't look so depressed,'' Mal tells her, pulling Regina out of her thoughts. ''You're gonna love it.''

Regina can only offer her a fake smile in return.

''Do you realise how much trouble you're going to get into if Mother Superior finds out you're all gone.''

Regina's attention to taken over to the door as someone speaks outside it. Mal only rolls her eyes, sighing slightly and opens the door to where Mary Margaret is standing outside in the corridor trying to persuade pretty much all the girls not to go.

''How much trouble _I'm_ going to get into.''

''Then you should come with us,'' Mal says, folding her arms. ''Then you don't have to be here when Blue comes.''

Mary Margaret's eyes widens at the suggestion. ''I can't! My mother would kill me.''

''I doubt it.'' comes a little blonde girl's voice and Regina remembers that her names Izzy- the girl who believed the rape story. ''I don't think the same rules apply to the school's founder's daughter.''

Mary Margaret shakes her head. ''Of course they do. I might not be here for the same reasons as most of you are but I'm still supposed to follow the school rules more so because I _am_ her daughter. I'm supposed to set an example to you all and I can't do that if I'm breaking the rules I'm supposed to help you all keep.''

Carla's deep chuckles travels to the hall drawing attention to her and her insanely furred coat. ''Darling, if we're supposed to take examples off a fourteen year old girl then this school has certainly gone to the dogs.''

''You know what? Fine, whatever. You can all get kicked out, perhaps maybe this place will go back to the school it was supposed to be and we can all learn something.'' Mary leaves then, slamming the door to her room behind her as everyone begins making their way towards the exit at the end of the corridor, none of them paying any second thought to what the youngest girl just said.

Part of Regina can't help but sympathise with the girl. It's obvious that she'll get the backlash of all the teacher's when they find out most of the school has gone and it wouldn't be her fault yet she'll have to deal with their disappointment at not being better at persuading people- something Regina knows all too well.

Her eyes leave the closed door to the conversation that Mal and Carla seem to be having.

''You're not wearing that are you?'' Mal asks and Regina knows she talking about the fur coat.

''Why not? I haven't wore one in a long time. Not that much access to puppies here.'' There's a scary glint in her eyes. _You really has stupid as those puppies you kill,_ Regina shivers slightly at the reality of it.

Mal just twists her face up in disgust. ''Fine, but if you end up fainting from overheating, I'm not carrying you home.''

''I'll be fine, darling.'' With that she takes off down the corridor, Ursula trailing behind her.

Soon, it's just her and Mal. Those who stayed behind have locked themselves in the room so they could play ignorance to the fact that mostly everyone has gone when Mother Superior comes snooping. Those who were going to this dreaded party have began making their ways there, leaving she and Mal alone.

Regina's still leaning against the wall and fidgeting with her fingers. She gave up trying to break the habit. She has a feeling she'll learn new habits while she's here anyway. Mother will always criticise her for something, might as well add unbreakable habits onto the list.

She knows Mal is looking at her, can feel her eyes on her and that's when she feels the self consciousness kick in. Becomes more aware of this damned _red_ dress as she wonders how many possibly drunk eyes will find their way onto her as the discomforted feeling twists in her stomach at the thought.

''Is the reason you don't want to go the reason why you're here?''

She hadn't expected Mal to speak. Regina actually thought she was just seeing how amazing her work of art looked. Mal had spent more time on Regina than herself, making sure none of her makeup smudged or curl had come loose. But the question does get Regina thinking. She forces her brain to go to that dark place, one she tries to keep out of when she sleeps. She hadn't had any nightmares yet (this is where she gets one tonight for realising that) or has she had those horrible heartbreaking dreams were their plans have come true and their off living happily ever after until Regina has to wake up and finds herself (what seems) a million miles away from Daniel, in a hard bed, in a school she'll never fit into. She forces herself to think of Daniel and stay composed as she does so. If he's still alive aren't they technically still in a relationship (that's if he doesn't hate her for all she's put/putting him through) Would he want her to move on and have... _fun?_ Maybe that's why she doesn't want to go, in the past, she was happy, free, able to love (albeit secretly) but she was still able to. Now...the future's a scary, unknown mess. Mother sent her to this place so she'd learn to be more careful who she falls for and she's not supposed to fall for anyone here. It's the one unofficial rule this school has, the reason it's an all girl's school, the reason Mary Margaret is terrified they'll all get in trouble; they're not supposed to have any contact with _males._ So they're locked away. They only allow the boys to enter so the teachers can see if they can ignore the temptation that brought them here the first place.

''You can tell me. I won't use it against you?''

It's when Mal speaks again Regina realises she's been quiet for a long time. When she looks at her, she can see the truth in Mal's eyes. She wouldn't use it against her.

''It's...complicated.'' Regina answers, looking away.

As quickly as that honest look came, it's replaced by its usual slyness. ''It's fine. I'll just read your file later.''

 _File?_ Her eyes dart back to Mal. ''I have a file?''

Mal laughs. ''Everyone does, stupid. Come on. File hunting is for another day. I have a party to take you to.''

She kicks the door closed and Regina pulls the hem of the dress down as they leave.

Loud music that seems to be playing from any direction blares into Regina's ears as lights and people flash around them. Everything is going on at the same time. There's a drinking game going on in a corner, a heated debate in another corner, a fight going on, most people are severely drunk at this point and Regina wonders just how long this party is going to last for.

She stays close to Mal's side. Mal knows what she's doing, Mal said she wouldn't leave Regina's said. Of course, Mal _said_ that and saying something and actually doing it are two different things to Mal. Which Regina finds out five minutes since they first walked through the front door when a little brown haired girl in a blue dress happily exclaims her name and walks over to them.

''I didn't think you were coming.'' the girl says as she grasps Mal's hands with her own.

''We had some...'' Mal's eyes briefly go to Regina before going back to the girl in front of her. ''...issues.'' Great, so now she's just a problem.

Regina also doesn't miss the way this girl looks her up and down, no doubt knowing that the dress Regina's wearing is Mal's and subconsciously once more, Regina tugs it down.

''Who's your friend?'' the girl asks.

''This is Regina. She's new.''

Regina gives the girl a little smile, and instead of receiving one back, the girl just seems to give her a dirty look before turning back to her friend.

''I can tell. I can't believe you missed it. Carla came in to find James but found her with Jack instead.'' Regina rolls her eyes, feeling much like a third wheel. Her feet are killing her after spending a majority of the night in heels. Her head hurts from the lights and noise. She just wants to go home. And she means home. Wants her mother to be away so she can curl up with Daniel and forget this part of the world exists.

But she can't. Daniel's...she feels a sting that goes through her heart. It never occurred to her now but...for all she knew, Daniel could be dead. She feels a lump form in her throat and she fights back tears that begin to form. She can't cry. Not here. Not now.

''World War Three happened, and well...Carla stormed off somewhere. Probably gone to kill some puppies.'' Regina pulls herself back into the conversation. She's not really listening, but she can't go back to that place.

''Is she okay?'' Mal asks.

''Yeah, she's fine. She'll be obsessing over him next week.'' the brunette looks around the room, seemingly making sure nobody can hear them and she seems to have forgotten Regina standing right beside them. ''Can we go somewhere else. We need to talk about...'' but Regina doesn't get the last word. Some idiot cranked up the music, drowning out whatever the girl was saying.

''Sure.'' says Mal. Regina watches as the two go off somewhere. Something tells her that the other girl doesn't want her to come along so she says were she is.

Really, if Regina wanted to, she could just slip away but...truthfully, she can't remember the way back to the school and doesn't really feel like getting lost today. Instead, she takes herself to the edge of the room and sits down. Feeling awkward and annoyed at some random girl for stealing her only friend (if she could really call _Mallory_ that) she watches the scene before her. There's no one she knows. She thought she saw Emma before, maybe even Izzy, but they've long gone now. No, she's in a room filled with complete strangers, and it seems she's the only sober one. Maybe she should go. Or go outside at least. That could help this headache that's formed.

She leaves the house unnoticed. Or thought she'd gone unnoticed. There's people outside, too, yet Regina takes herself away from them. Each step she takes her feet kill and perhaps she should take her heels off but it only when she hears a crunch beneath her feet and notices the broken glass on the grass does she decide against it. Blood was never her favourite thing. When she's as far away and as far as she can go from everyone, Regina sits down, the grass tickling the back of her thighs and sighs. It's not cold-cold, there's a light wind and sends shivers and spreads Goosebumps onto her arms and she finds her hands rubbing against the skin, trying to create heat. The wind also blows ripples across a small lake as Regina stares at the moon reflected in it.

She jumps slightly as the sound of bushes rustling until a boy and girl fall out of them, laughing and giggling as the girl tries to fix her clothes, both of them not noticing Regina. _It's better that way,_ Regina thinks. She's left alone here. Left to grieve. She can feel it, the familiar heavy weight of her heart. Daniel's gone. It's stupid to hold onto any hope that he might still be alive. Would Mother send a letter or something to her? Surely this is something she'd love to rub in her daughter's face like the amazing Mother-of-the-Year she is. Unless, she doesn't know. Mother often leaves the bodies of her toys down in that basement to rot. It wouldn't surprise her if Daniel was one of them now.

The tears fall freely now. Why is she crying? Why is she crying _here?_ God, she is pathetic.

''I thought I saw you sneak away.''

She wipes the pathetic tears away when she hears the voice. Breathes in and composes herself again. She's never heard this voice before. It's confident and cocky and Regina gets a bad feeling in her stomach.

''You're the new girl, aren't you?'' he asks and Regina cringes at the name. No matter where she goes, will she always be 'the new girl'? ''Mal's _friend._ ''

Regina frowns. ''You know her?''

The boy sits down next to her, brushes his arm against hers. Regina shuffles to the side slightly. Too much personal space invasion going on. She sees him frown before shaking it off and laughing. ''Everyone knows her. So, you go to _that_ school.''

She doesn't need to ask what 'that' school is. She simply answers with a _yes._

''You got a kid?''

''What?''

''You got a kid?'' he asks again. ''That's what most of the girls in there are in there for.''

She faces him slightly as she answers. ''No, I don't.''

The boy smiles and nods. ''I noticed you moved away from me. You not into men?''

Her heart beats widely against her chest. ''I'm _into men._ Just not pathetic, little boys like you.'' She doesn't know what makes her say it, the need to get away from him possibly?

As she stands up to do just that, she feels his hand grab onto her wrist tightly, dragging her back down, that stupid smile still across his face.

''I can imagine you are.'' and Regina swallows at his accusation. ''It's why you're in that school. ''Little slags who couldn't keep their legs closed even if their lives depended on it.'' she watches as his eyes move to the bushes that back to Regina, those eyes scanning her, lingering on the cleavage clearly seen in this stupid dress, before moving back to her eyes, an _idea_ forming. Regina's heart beats faster, as her eyes widen, but before she can do anything, his hand still gripped around her wrist, as he drags her towards the bush as she tries to break free. ''But you _see_ ,'' he yanks towards him and she falls a little, a whimper escaping. ''You might be used, but...I've taken those in worse condition.''

Her helpless protests only earns her a hard push and she falls face first onto the soils, dirt landing in her mouth. He looms over her and turns her around, drags her closer to him, as he settles between her. This shouldn't be happening! Whatever he thinks she is...she's not! But there's nothing she can do because his heavy weight is lying on her, after this...fumbling is over, he'll be ready and...Regina feels sick at the thought, as her stomach twists.

Yet, she can't let him do this to her. Can't let him do this to anyone. It's a hit or miss moment but just as he's ready her knee collides with down there and he lets out a shout of pain, collapsing onto her, pining her to the ground as his face twists in pain. With as much strength she has, she pushes his pathetic body off her and jumps from the ground. He doesn't do much to stop her, doesn't do anything except lie on the floor so she runs. Trips over a rock, slightly, her toe smacking the ground and she winces but she'll worry about that later. Now it's about getting home, finding Mal and forcing her to take her back to school. She should never have came, should never have came, should never have-

She smacks into something, _someone,_ and they both hit the ground. She breathes in a forest-y smell and the whole thing hits her. What was just about to happen. And she cries as people surround her and the person she's just fallen on, his voice sounding oddly familiar, muffled yet concerned voice asking her _are you okay?_ And, no, she's not. She's just nearly been raped by some stranger. And it makes her cry more until she feels like she's drowning in it.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** So I know it's been a long time but with college and re-sitting maths and just generally finding time to myself, this had to be sacrificed briefly. I did take a hiatus but I wanted something other than education to think about so I finally got round to typing up another chapter. I have no idea when the next one will be posted but just bear with me and it'll come soon.

A special thanks to Anastasia for beta-ing this for me. And yeah...I hope you all like it :)

Having a person run into him was the last thing Robin expected on his mission to find Killian. He can't help but feel annoyed at being knocked over by some drunk idiot; his drink flying somewhere, and his back painfully hitting against the concrete.

It's only when he hears terrified sounding cries, and a crowd begins to gather around them, that he lets out an _are you okay?_ and when _she_ looks up all annoyance is gone. It's replaced by worry and confusion as to why the nameless girl who's been preoccupying his mind since he first met her is crying.

She doesn't answer though. Instead, she buries her face into his shirt and Robin becomes more aware of the people around them, of the flash of the odd camera that goes off because people are too wasted (they wouldn't care even if they were sober) to realise that the girl who is going to get them the most likes on whatever media website they're on is currently shaking and crying in his arms.

He suddenly feels a powerful need to protect her from them all, their whispers and flashes. He can't explain it, it's just there.

So he pushes himself off the ground and she seems to be at least a little bit aware of what's going on because she follows his lead. Climbs off him slightly in order for Robin to get up. She's still sniffing slightly as he takes her hand a leads her through the crowd, pushing at those who were in the way.

As they walk, the scene behind them resumes, everyone going back to the fun time they were having. She learns a little more into him, both her arms wrapping around his one and Robin resists the urge to move it from her grasps and wrap it around her.

He's thankful when he finds an empty room. It's at the back of the house, probably a spare bedroom, and even though the music and talking can still be heard, it does seem to be the most quiet place available.

Robin removes his arm from the girl's grasp to open the door for her. When they're inside, she kicks her shoes off and sits on the bed, staring at nothing and looking very far away.

Robin takes his own seat on a chair and leans forward on his elbows. At first, nothing is said. She isn't crying anymore but that doesn't seem to make the situation okay again. In fact, it makes Robin feel worse. He thinks he would prefer it if she was crying.

''Thank you.''

It's a tiny whisper, almost inaudible, but Robin's surprised by it anyway. He looks up to find that she's no longer staring off into space but looking at him, her eyes puffy and red.

He resists the temptation to move beside her. Thinks that that's not something she needs right now. So he stays where he is and repeats the question he asked earlier.

''Are you okay?''

''I'm fine.''

The answer comes quick. Screams to Robin that she isn't fine. He knows she isn't. She'd just been crying not five minutes ago. But he doesn't press her, doesn't force her to tell him, he's just a stranger she met in a library after all.

''I want to go home.''

The words are spoken quietly and Robin wonders if he heard them at all. His heart aches at the sight of her, the way she brings her knees tighter to her chest, her eyes seemingly covered with a misty cloud.

Somehow, he knows she isn't referring to the school. That couldn't be anyone's home. She's taking about _her_ home. The one she was, no doubt, forced to leave.

It makes him feel sick sometimes. The thought that anyone could send their own child away. He wouldn't do it. Wouldn't it be better to right the problem yourself instead of getting other people to do it for you? Robin didn't understand some parents.

He forces her mind away from the rights and wrongs of people's parenting and instead focuses on the girl in front of him who just said she wanted to go home. Sighing, he stands up, decides to take her to the only home he can. The school.

''I'll walk you back if you like.'' he tells her.

The girl- he really needs to find out her name- stares at him, then nods, picking up the shoes she kicked off before and Robin asks if she'll be okay walking in her bare feet. Her answer is a quick nod with a little sniff and Robin guesses if she starts to feel uncomfortable, well, he could give her his shoes.

He opens the door, letting her go through first, and thankfully, the hall is empty as they make their way downstairs, looking for the nearest exit.

After a very hard hour, Mary Margaret finally places the curling iron down on the table as her other hand starts to rearrange her curls. She smiles, happy with the outcome as Ashley scribbles away the bed. She opens her top drawer and her smile falters when she sees her ribbons. Mary meant to throw them away ages ago but, seemingly being the last gifted child in the school and the founder's daughter, it seems more work was given to her than the others and remembering to do little things like throwing stuff away tended to get lost in the back of her mind.

Still, she pushes them aside to find the clips at the back. Taking two red ones out, she drops one onto the desk and begins to clip the side of her hair up.

''I don't know why you bother.'' Mary's eyes look towards Ashley's reflection in the mirror. ''You're never going to look like her, Snow.''

Mary rolls her eyes at the nickname. She longed since grew out of that, the same time she grew out of her ribbons and started curling her hair, but she doesn't correct Ashley. Instead, she focuses on what she said before, avoiding eye contact in the mirror. ''It's not about looking like her-''

''Then what is it about?''

 _She should be doing her work. Should be researching about animal care. She should be almost finished by now. She should not be looking at_ him.

 _She can't help it, though. Can't stop her attention being drawn to him when his chair scrapes across the floor and he gets up to move, can't help but look at him when she hears his voice._

 _Snow has no idea why she's so distracted today. It never bothered her last year, or any other day before yet she just can't seem to find it in her to concentrate on writing..._

 _''I have been waiting a year for this day.''_

 _Snow forcefully brings her attention away from him to Mal in front of her._

 _''What?'' Snow asks, the distraction still heavily hinted in her voice._

 _Mal leans forward, her bouncy curled hair falling over her shoulder as a smile spreads across her face. ''My little flake of snow is in loveeee.'' she bops her on her nose with a rolled up piece of paper._

 _Snow automatically jumps back slightly and the sentence is enough to make her attention land fully on Mal now. Snow frowns, her arms crossing over her body as she defencelessly cries, ''No, I'm not!'' Because she isn't. She can't be._

 _Mal's smile doesn't waver. ''It's okay,'' she tells her. ''We've all been there.''_

 _Snow lets her arms drop slightly, her gaze moving back over to him who is now at his table, writing. Would it really be a big deal if she did love him? Or, like him, at least. Love is something that doesn't seem meant for her._

 _''But...'' comes Mal's voice again, and Snow looks back to her. ''If you want to get David's attention, you have to stop looking like an eight year old.''_

 _Snow watches as Mal's eyes flicker to her bow and she frowns once more. ''What's wrong with my bow?''_

 _''Dear, what's right with it?''_

 _Snow's resolve softens slightly. She guesses if she wants to give this love, or crush, or whatever it is, a go, she has to ditch the eight-year-old bows at some point. And if Mal is agreeing to help her achieve this, well...she has to do what she says._

 _So Snow reaches up and begins untying the ribbon's bow as the pink, silky fabric comes loose and she untangles it from her hair._

 _''Now that...is an improvement.'' Snow smiles lightly, can't help but feel a little lost at the loss of her ribbon until she mentally kicks herself and tells herself that it's just a stupid ribbon, it's not like her life depends on it. ''Now, all we need to do is fix the rest of you so, since I know you're not going to leave your work until you're done, come to my room and I'll help you get his,'' her eyes flicker to David briefly, ''attention.'' Mal stands up then, picking up her books, and making her way out of the library filling Snow with an unsettling feeling in her stomach about what the older girl's going to do to her._

''So...?'' Ashley's voice cuts through Mary Margaret's memory.

She looks up again, looks at Ashley in the mirror. ''Nothing.'' Mary says, wanting to end the conversation. ''It's just a new style.''

''Fine. But if Emma was here, she would have told you to get your own style instead of trying to be like other people.''

The conversation is left at that, Ashley picking up her stuff and leaving and Mary left to stare at her reflection. Her finger curls in her hair. She wasn't trying to steal anyone's style...Mal offered it to her and hasn't taken it away yet. Besides, it was all unnecessary anyway, David still hadn't notice her.

She turns her head to the window, to the house a little away and into the bedroom. The lights are off. He isn't home. _Probably at that stupid party._

Her eyes move down to the ground when she sees two people walking across the grass. _The new girl...Regina._ Moving from her chair, she opens the window, the cool air hitting her face, as she shouts down. ''Do you know how to climb?''

Regina looks up briefly, then to the boy who walked her home, then back at Mary.

''Not really.''

Mary sighs, shouts; ''I'm doing this for you once. Ask Emma to teach you how to climb.'' and promptly shuts the window before the new girl can say anything back before making her way down to the back door.

Her feet are killing. Probably all cut and blistered from the walk, and already sore from the shoes. She could kill Mal. For multiple reasons right now. Giving her these shoes, leaving her at that party, dragging her to the party in the first place...Though the night hadn't gone to plan (like there was any plan to begin with) she was thankful that the person she managed to smack into was him. Robin, she'd found out his name was, it suited him. She'd apologised for possibly making him Monday's breaking news, though he'd shrugged it off, told her half of them wouldn't remember what happened, would probably stare at the photos wondering what they meant. She'd laughed at the truthfulness of his words and told him how she hadn't wanted to go, how Mal dragged her along, which then led them to now. Standing outside the back door of the near pitch black building.

''Thank you,'' she says, again. ''For walking me home.''

''Anytime.''

He gives her a quick smile before a shout is heard, turning them both up to the third floor to find Mary Margaret asking if she knows how to climb. She doesn't, a wall maybe, but not a building, no...The window is shut and the light is turned off, leaving Regina to suspect that the younger girl is on her way down to let her in through the back door.

They wait until the light is flickered on and she turns to him. ''I need my- Mal's- shoes back now.''

She nods to the shoes he kindly offered to carry back for her.

''Oh right,'' he says, handing them out to her. She takes them and when her fingers graze against his hand his eyes are shooting up to look at her, the fast movement having her do the same. There's a brief moment between them, a spark or something as they both hold the shoes, and she's suddenly lost with how blue his eyes actually are, especially with the light behind her shining into them.

But then there's Mary Margaret's shout of, _Hurry up, I don't want to get caught._ And the moment is gone. They can't go down that path. Not here. Not when she's been sent to this school for that very reason. Not when all he'll do is meet the same fate as Daniel should Cora ever find out. Or worse. Her heart aches at that thought, the door of grief opening up a crack again. She shuts it before it can open further, takes back the shoes and quickly turns away, hoping Robin didn't see anything. As she practically runs towards the door she only slightly catches his _Night, Regina,_ before Mary Margaret is shutting the back door and his voice and eyes and whole self is lost from her view. 


	11. Chapter 11

**N/A: We finally have an update! This might possibly be one of my shortest chapters simply because I had no idea what I was actually doing with it. Or, more importantly, Regina's POV so like usual, I winged it. Since Ana was busy, Clare stepped in and beta'd this for me. Thank you :) I was going to change this chapter in a lot of ways because of a certain subject it deals with and the posts I've seen about it. However, since that type of story had been with me since I began this, I decided just to go ahead with and hope you all accept my decision to make this happen- really, it was the direction I wanted it to go. As usual, I hope you guys enjoy this :)**

 **Trigger Warning:** _Subtle reference of statutory rape._

Her eyes open slowly, still clouded from sleep. The unnecessarily sun light that shines through the window stings her eyes, her head throbs as she rolls over to the other side (the movement making the room spin and a dizziness form) throws the…blanket, towel thing over her head and shuts her eyes and tries to go back to sleep.

Yet, that doesn't seem possible.

So Mal reopens her eyes, ignoring the pulsing of her clearly hungover brain, and rolls onto her back.

Her eyes gaze rakes the ceiling, takes in the brush swirls that patterns the timbers, to the giant chandelier that hangs from the middle. She slowly moves her eyes to the walls covered in navy blue wallpaper, brings them down to the cream coloured fireplace and the photographs, and ornaments that cover the mantelpiece.

Then it hits her.

This isn't Killian's house.

At the realization, Mal shoots up….Then instantly regrets it. Her head screams, the room spins around quicker this time, and she taken over by an overwhelming wave of nausea. She shuts her eyes against it, calms herself down as her hungover idled brain tries to remember what happened the night before. Her brain begins piecing bits together: Merry coming over to her, Mal leaving Regina, Merry telling her that _he_ was asking for her.

The rest is a bit fuzzy, like how she ended up in _his_ house, yet that was the least pressing issue.

Her main problem was where his precious wife and daughter were, the last thing Mal wanted (and needed) right now is for them to find her here.

Once the nausea and dizziness calms down, Mal slowly pushes away the blanket, kicks the rest of it off her legs with her feet. She grips the arm of the couch and tentatively tests standing up. Despite the fuzziness in her head, there's no nausea which seems to be a good sign. Mal takes her hand away from the hard fabric and begins sorting herself out. Hands hooking under the crumpled red dress, she pulls down the hem, straightening the material out when she notices her pinky toe in a complete mess. A broken blister sits on the side of it, the yellow-ey ooz-ey stuff all dried up from the night, and, from the pain she feels on the back of her ankle, it seems she also has a blister there. _Well,_ she thinks as she tries to ignore the pain, _let's hope he has some plasters somewhere._

Ignoring her feet, Mal begins making her way to the door, the floor boards cold on her already sore feet. She opens the door, peering out of it. It seems quiet, like nobodies home. Maybe they aren't. Maybe they're away, surely he wouldn't be stupidest enough to bring her back here with those two asleep?

No, he wouldn't! He's learnt that lesson...hopefully. The last thing Mal really needs right now is more trouble. Or...any trouble, instead.

She pushes the door open a bit more, stepping out of the main room and into the hallway. Everyone has to be gone, even if people were sleeping, (Mal realises she doesn't know what time it is) a house wouldn't be this quiet.

She takes a quick glance upstairs, all the light flooding through as she notices all the doors are open. _Yep, they're definitely not asleep._ Her eyes move to the little shelf above the radiator and that's when she sees it.

A little white piece of paper propped up against the transparent red candle holder. Feeling a surge of curiosity, Mal wanders over to it, picking the card up and opening it. Written in his handwriting, she begins smiling as she reads the letter addressed to her,

 _Mallory,_

 _You're probably wondering how you got here. Don't worry, Merry Weather bought you over. I hadn't seen you in awhile and wanted to see how you were after….everything that happened. I'm sorry for all of that and I know letting you sleep here last night wasn't the best idea but I couldn't send you home...or wherever you are...in the state you were in. And if you're panicking that the other two will come back, don't worry about that either; Briar won't be home until later tonight and Aurora...apparently she's staying somewhere else. Either way, if you want to be safe, get yourself out by 3:00 PM. But until then, I guess you have the place to yourself._

 _And, if you're 'dying', there's some tablets in the cupboard in the bathroom for you._

 _Stefan._

Her eyes scan the letter once last time before she folds it and tucks it into her dress.

She moves away from the radiator she finds herself leaning against and makes her way upstairs, deciding to take up Stefan's suggestion and sort this hangover out.

...:...:...

Robin groans, refusing to open his eyes even a bit as he searches blindly for his phone. What idiot has decided to call him at this time in the morning?

His hand lands on the buzzing phone and Robin sighs as his picks it up from the bedside table. If he wants to know what idiot is calling him at this time in the morning, he guesses he needs to open his eyes.

And he does. The phone light burning his sleep-idled eyes as a name flashes on the screen one last time and be buzzing stops.

And surprise, surprise, it's his _best friend_ Killian.

He clicks the call back button, bringing the phone to his ear and rolling onto his back as he wonders what the hell Killian is doing awake this time on a Saturday anyway?

Finally, the ringing stops and the twat answers.

"What?" asks Robin, still annoyed at being woken up at half six.

"Mate you need check Facebook now." Killian gushes almost instantly afterwards.

It doesn't take Robin long to figure out just why Killian wants him to look at Facebook. Fortunately (or unfortunately) Robin didn't get much of a chance to drink last night and the memories of what happened are still clear as day in his head. So no, he doesn't _need_ to check Facebook yet he does so anyway.

He brings the phone away from his ear, clicks the loudspeaker button (though lowers the phone volume considerably- least he wakes his parents, he really doesn't fancy a (one sided) argument at half six) and clicks on the app that he barely uses.

He shouldn't be surprised at the photos that greet him, at the anger that increases as he scrolls through. It seems none of his _friends_ resisted the urge to post the pictures they took of him and the girl (Regina, he corrects) and Robin shakes his head.

As he's clicking the home button, Killian's voice sounds through again.

"Told you you'd be famous one day, didn't I?" And Robin's shaking his head again, sarcastically giving his friend a 'ha-ha'.

"Anyway that wasn't the reason I called you," Killian continues, his voice changing to a more serious note. "After you disappeared with your little lady friend-" and Robin doesn't miss the insinuation, imagines the eyebrows rising, and he could (not for the first time) punch the bastard in the face for it, he walked her home for Christ's sake!

"You left me with a shit ton of mess that needs to be cleaned before 12. So if you'd like to get your ass over here and help that would be great."

The call ends there, Killian ending it and Robin being the loyal friend he is, places his phone on the side and climbs out of bed and begins to get ready to the long trip back to Killian's.

...:...:...

She'd stopped doing work hours ago, her pen just swirling circles on the paper, turning them into flowers or other random things. Wasting ink, Mother called it; a habit Regina found herself doing a lot.

It tended to be when she couldn't focus. Her mind occupied with a plethora of other things. Just like today.

She knew one thing, though: she wasn't going to another party any time soon. The only reason she found herself trying to study in her room was because of the events which happened last night.

Since Regina came downstairs the others had giggled away in the corner. Close enough for her to hear them but away enough for her not to see what was so funny. Though she found out soon enough. Mary Margaret, the only one to take pity on her ignorance and showed her the photos.

And Regina has felt many things in her sixteen years. Anxiety, anger, hurt, betrayal, shame….most caused by her Mother, of course but the emotions that she feels now overrides all that.

She'll get over it, she tells herself. It's just a thing that will pass. Yet the laughter seems to get louder, the stares intensify and Regina's left with ears burning, cheeks reddening and anger and shame burning through it.

Mary Margaret had given her a sympathetic smile yet Regina hadn't had much time to register it before she was running back upstairs and slamming the door, wishing she was back home, away from all of it, and safe and tucked away with Daniel.

She'd collapsed by the door then, black sliding against it as she fell to the floor, head landing on her arms rest against her knees.

She'd had enough. She wanted to go home.

She'd been here a month and she wanted to go home.

But that didn't matter.

She wasn't going home. She was here. Here for as long as her mother seemed satisfied enough to free her.

If she was ever being freed.

"It's just because you're the new girl. It will get better soon. Easier."

Lost in her humiliation, Regina hadn't heard the door open. She turns her ahead to see Mary Margaret standing there looking sheepish, unsure whether to enter or not.

Regina turns away from her, scoffs and says; "And when will that be? When the next new girl arrives."

Mary Margaret misses the sarcasm. "Maybe. Or it'll happen much sooner. Point is, Regina, everyone earns their place. You'll get yours soon enough.


	12. Forbidden Note

Hey, guys!

Don't get excited, this isn't a new chapter. I feel bad that you guys are here waiting (or not) for an update that might never happen.

When certain things in real life happen- depending on what the certain thing was- it effects things and, well, real life (especially in February) hadn't been the best and things suffered for it, including Forbidden.

When this started, when I came up with this idea, I loved it, I thought it was genius but my motivation and commitment to write this slowly dwindled and here we are months later.

Real life isn't the only reason I could potentially give this up- my confidence to write it has left. It's been 11 chapters and to me, nothing's really happened and I don't wanna put you guys through a slow and torturous experience of a plot not going anywhere and truthfully, I don't want to put myself through that.

I'm not gonna sit here and lie and say that I don't have the time to write because that's not true, I'm updating other things, writing other things.

It's not official if I've abandoned this or not, maybe one day I'll go back it to, but just don't hold yourself out for an update and if you still like my writing, I have 3 other multi-chapters plus a load of oneshots for you all to binge through/read through.

I hope you all understand, guys.

Snowgina :)


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